The early days of the pandemic were an uncertain time for many. For essential businesses, the need to keep operating as normal while keeping employees safe but productive was a challenge.
For Cooperative Response Center, Inc. (CRC), a contact and dispatch center for the electric cooperative industry, a pandemic preparedness plan had been developed long ago for such an occasion but hadn’t been put to the test until 2020. Once it became clear that extraordinary measures would need to be put in place, the plan was revamped and set in motion. In less than 30 days, CRC went from a system that didn’t support operating remote agents in a contact center environment to having over 50% of its 350 employees operating remotely – all the while over 30 utilities transferred 100% of their call volume to CRC.
On March 2, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. EST, Chris Holt, CRC’s president and CEO, will offer insights on the transition CRC took to have its staff move to a remote agent scenario in such a short amount of time in a presentation during NRECA’s 2021 PowerXchange and TechAdvantage Experience. During Pandemic Response, 0 – 50 in 30 Days, Holt will overview a timeline of events as they occurred along with the challenges each step of the way, including:
• Setting up a remote operation when one didn’t exist
• Important considerations for the best chance of success
• How to prepare should an event like this reoccur
• The pitfalls and lessons learned from the process
Holt will recap not only what CRC would have done differently, but also recommend what steps other cooperatives can take now, regardless of size, to better prepare in the future. There are lessons to be learned in planning, procurement, IT, operations, management, and communications to all stakeholders which could serve as valuable learning tools to cooperatives contemplating such a move, regardless of size and whether it’s a pandemic event or not.
“By going remote in such a short amount of time, we didn’t have the luxury to linger over critical decisions,” Holt said. “Forging ahead, we did the best we could at the time and dealt with issues as they arose. In Pandemic Response, 0 – 50 in 30 Days, we’ll explore the obstacles we faced, what worked, what didn’t, and what to keep in mind if you’re considering using remote agents at your organization.”
Make sure to mark your calendars for Pandemic Response, 0 – 50 in 30 Days, Tuesday, March 2, 2021, at 3:00 p.m. EST. To register for the 2021 NRECA PowerXchange and TechAdvantage Experience, visit www.cooperative.com.
About CRC
CRC is a nationwide, cooperatively owned, 24/7 contact center and alarm monitoring center. Founded in 1992, CRC has steadily increased the size and scope of its operation with offices in Austin, Minn., Dunlap, Tenn., and Abilene, Texas. CRC serves nearly 520 members and associate members in 47 states, representing over 11 million consumers. Visit CRC on the web at www.crc.coop.
For more information about CRC’s services, contact a regional business manager at 800-892-1578 or at info@crc.coop.